Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) Award Determinations

VCF Award Determinations

Victim Compensation Fund Special Master Sheila Birnbaum submitted her Fourth Annual Status Report in February, 2016. She reported that as of December 31, 2015,  shortly after Congress reauthorized the Zadroga Act, the VCF had made 7,730 compensation determinations in the amount of $1.8 billion, an average of approximately $230,000 per claimant.  Thankfully, now that Congress has fully funded the Zadroga VCF, claimants will receive their full awards.

The following are some of the hundreds of awards that the Victim Compensation Fund has awarded our clients with certified WTC-cancers.  Please note that for certified cancers, the VCF awards between $100,000 and $250,000 for non-economic loss (pain and suffering) while the balance is for economic loss (lost income as a result of an individual’s specific loss of his/her career).  No two claimants are identical.  The economic loss awards are based on a claimant’s age, work history and prior income.  If the claimant has been found disabled for 9/11 certified physical illnesses (not psychological illnesses nor unrelated injuries) by an independent entity (such as the FNDY, NYCERS, Workers Compensation or the Social Security Administration), he/she is treated differently than someone who hasn’t been found permanently and totally disabled.  Moreover, if a claimant has been awarded a disability pension, social security disability award, and/or a prior litigation award, their net VCF award will be reduced.

The awards are evidence that the VCF is making fair awards on a case-by case basis and doing its best to provide each claimant with economic security. The following are some recent award determinations by the Victim Compensation Fund, for both cancers and other WTC-related illnesses that were certified for compensation:

Victim Compensation Fund Cancer Awards:

• $3,700,651.89 Acute Lymphoid Leukemia; Acute Myeloid Leukemia
• $2,811,150.81 Malignant Neoplasm of skin site
• $2,114,559.09 Multiple Myeloma
• $1,934,316.82 Malignant Neoplasm Of Nasopharynx; Malignant Neoplasm Lip &Oral Cavity
• $1,812,981.63 Malignant Neoplasm of Bladder
• $1,714,581.73 Malignant Neoplasm of Pancreas; and Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Skin
• $1,708,479.47 Malignant Neoplasm of Thyroid Gland
• $1,584,470.92 Malignant Neoplasm of Thyroid Gland
• $1,576,194.11 Leukemia;
• $1,536,922.86 Leukemia
• $1,515,396.00 Malignant Neoplasm of pancreas
• $1,401,164.49 Reticulosarcoma
• $1,324,207.00 Malignant Neoplasm of Prostate
• $1,287,487.96 Malignant Neoplasm of Prostate; Melanoma of Skin
• $1,245,529.60 Leukemia
• $1,192,644.09 Myeloid Leukemia
• $1,170,183.00 Malignant Neoplasm of Breast
• $1,160,718.36 Multiple Mylema
• $1,139,652.61 Malignant Neoplasm of Female Breast
• $1,132,662.56 Malignant Neoplasm Female Breast
• $1,122,232.25 Melanoma of Skin
• $1,098,631.35 Malignant Neoplasm of Thyroid Gland
• $1,094,330.62 Melanoma of Skin
• $1,041,794.98 Lymphosarcome and reticulosarcoma